


A Long Time Coming

by Arytra



Series: Section 123 [9]
Category: Sesame Street (TV)
Genre: Fluffy, Multi, Sweet, Took Them Long Enough, weddings are fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 03:18:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15787866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arytra/pseuds/Arytra
Summary: Mr. Macintosh and Willy have been together forever.  Certainly before anyone other than Mr. Hooper met them.  So it was assumed that they were married a long time ago.  That assumption was wrong.





	A Long Time Coming

It was Big Bird that was catalyst for the entire thing, though the same could have been said for Maria, Luis, and David's marriage a year before. As it came up on the trio's anniversary and really the anniversary for all six of the members of the relationship as well as the Susan and Gordon's anniversary not having been too long ago, it made sense that Big Bird would be thoughtful about it. “This is your anniversary and Gordon and Susan celebrated their anniversary. But why don't we ever celebrate Mr. Macintosh and Willy's anniversary?”

“That's a good question, Big Bird,” Bob said as the others nodded in agreement. “I guess they just never told us when it was.”

“Maybe we can surprise them,” Maria suggested, looking a little excited. Penelope groaned.

“When people don't tell you things, it means they don't want you to know about them,” she grumbled.

“Or that we just haven't asked,” David argued.

“It's been years,” Penelope fought back. “I'm pretty sure they would have mentioned when they were married.”

“They aren't married,” Travis said, not even looking up from eating his lunch. It was after he reached for his drink that he realized that all of the others were looking at him. Penelope rubbed her temples.

“Travis, how do you know that?” She asked.

“The Census,” he answered. “One of the questions is whether or not the person is married. Mr. Macintosh and Willy are both listed as single. If they'd married, they could have told me and I would have fixed it, but even the Count wrote them down as single.”

“Why didn't you say anything?” Maria demanded.

“I thought you knew!” Travis answered, moving away from his lunch and looking surprisingly similar to a frightened rabbit. 

“Just stop assuming we know things and tell us,” Penelope said. “We obviously don't catch on as quick.”

She ignored the protests behind her. Travis look a little awkward. “I know a lot of things though and it would be mean to pretend like everyone didn't know things,” he said.

 _“The point is they aren't married.”_ Linda said, fortunately coming to Travis' rescue.

“Maybe they don't know they can,” Olivia suggested. They turned to look at her. “The only reason that Maria, Luis, and David could legally is because Penelope and Travis decided that rules are for other people and made it happen.”

“Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration...” Penelope started, but Olivia continued like she hadn't said anything.

“So, maybe it just hasn't occurred to Mr. Macintosh and Willy that they could do the same thing,” she said.

 _“Or maybe they don't want to get married.”_ Linda suggested. Bob nodded his agreement.

“We're just guessing,” Luis said. “We'll need to ask.”

“Maybe we could ask Mr. Hooper?” Maria suggested. David snorted.

“He never talks about his own love life. He's not going to talk about theirs,” he said.

“Why don't we just as Mr. Macintosh and Willy?” Big Bird asked.

“Two for two on Big Bird being more observant than everyone else,” Penelope said, ignoring the glares she got. This was going to be a long day of ignoring that her friends were trying to get her to be more polite. “Bob and I will go ask.”

“Why you two?” David asked.

“Because Bob has those social skills you say I don't have and I can keep him on point,” she answered. “If I leave it to anyone else here, it will be either argumentative or beating around the bush for six hours.”

Fortunately, there was little more argument and the two headed off to ask the uncles of the family why they'd never officially married.

“You don't have to answer if you don't want to...” Penelope started.

“But we're interested if you want to talk...” Bob interjected.

“We noticed, rather Travis said, you two never married and it's really none of our business...”

“But we want you to know that we care and want you to be happy if you do want to marry...”

“So if you want to, you know, have a wedding or whatever, Travis and I can handle the paperwork...”

“And we'll all celebrate with you.”

“Or not if you don't want that.”

Mr. Macintosh and Willy just stared at them for a moment as they let the conversation catch up them before they just laughed, though not maliciously. Mr. Macintosh spoke up first. “I guess we just never thought about it,” he admitted. “We've felt married for years.”

“It might be nice to have a wedding though,” Willy agreed, leaning into Mr. Macintosh. “We could have Mr. Hooper and Harriet stand up there for us.”

“And all of the kids would be here,” Mr. Macintosh agreed. “We'll wait until after Maria has her baby.”

“And we'll have to track down Buffy's family again. And Arnold's. And see if Mr. Hooper knows where David Handford went,” Willy said. “I'm not sure where the rest of our friends are but our family is here.”

Mr. Macintosh nodded his agreement. Penelope was giving Bob a look that they should sneak out the back since she was pretty certain that they had forgotten the younger two were still there. Bob, however, was of little help as he just looked overly excited and happy and not willing to leave like any self-respecting member of society would be. She was about to grab him when both of the older men turned to look at them. “Go let the others knows,” Mr. Macintosh said with a slight smile. Penelope grabbed Bob's arm and dragged him off.

***

“You're fidgeting,” Harold said for the third time. Willy knew he was fidgeting because he knew he was nervous. This was obviously why his old friend had never married: It would have shown him to be human. Heaven forbid Harold Hooper let that happen. Harold made his way over to Willy and gently fixed his tie again. “Now leave it alone.”

“If you ever marry Harriet, I am going to be a lot more sympathetic,” Willy said firmly. Harold sighed.

“I'm not going to marry Harriet. You're going to be fine. I'm starting to wish that I'd agreed to stand with Mac,” he said.

“Mac didn't ask you,” Willy said. “I did.”

“You did because you both wanted both of us up there and the two of us have known each other longer than everyone on this street. Not to mention Mac and Harriet are closer friends anyway,” Harold scolded. Willy was quiet for a moment.

“Did you ever think it would be like this when we were children?” He asked.

“I expected to have fewer kids and grandkids at the time,” Mr. Hooper answered. “But Owen and I used to joke about how long it was going to take you two to get married.”

“Who won the bet?”

“I did. Owen had way too much faith in you two,” Harold said with a slight grin which gave way to a more serious look. “I did try to find him.”

“When he shows up, he'll owe me a wedding present,” Willy said, brushing it off. “It's Owen. He'll show back up again when you least expect it. And after our farewell, I'm not sure if I want him back for my wedding anyway. He might decide that's the best time for revenge.”

“He wouldn't prank on your wedding day,” Harold said. “It's time.”

Willy let his friend lead him out the door, ready to make the marriage official.

***

“I don't know how you can be this calm. I was a nervous wreck when I was marrying David's grandfather,” Harriet said, taking a seat. Mac grinned at her.

“You also weren't married in every way but legally for decades,” he reminded her. “It's just a nice ceremony with our family. Penelope and Travis could have fixed it without the ceremony, but we might as well show off.”

“David mentioned that you both forgot you hadn't gotten married?” She asked. Mac grinned.

“Like we told the kids, we just didn't think about it. And I don't think we would have gotten married until Harold adopted half of the street anyway,” he admitted.

“You aren't doing this for the kids, are you?” Harriet demanded. Mac shook his head.

“Of course not, Harriet,” he said. “But I like that we're going to have our family there with us. Maria is even going to carry Gabi to the altar as a flower girl for us. It isn't that I didn't want to marry Willy. It's that it's better when we're doing this with our family.”

Harriet smiled at that and then looked at him. “When did you realize that?”

“When Penelope and Bob very awkwardly tried to ask us why we hadn't,” he said. “And when Gordon and Susan gently made sure that the group hadn't pressured us. And when Gina excitedly offered to help us decorate it. And when Linda promised to keep Bob busy so he wouldn't write us a song. Or when Maria, David, and Luis asked us if we were sure we wanted to wait on the baby being born. Or watching Olivia try to keep them all from imploding and watching Travis try to control Donovan and Kathy who are extremely excited that they get to see another wedding so soon.”

“That's beautiful,” she said. “And the reason that Big Bird is also a ring bearer this time?”

Mac was quiet for a moment before he spoke up. “The rest of these kids are Harold's,” he said. “We're their uncles and we love them, but Harold is their father. Big Bird doesn't fall into that. The entire street raises him, but Willy won him over first.”

“How?” Harriet asked and Mac gave a soft smile.

“When we realized that Big Bird's parents hadn't come back, we figured that we shouldn't leave a baby bird alone in the nest by himself. We all went to try to convince him to come to us if we needed something, but Big Bird was adamant like any toddler that he only was supposed to listen to bigger birds. Willy asked if he could have one of Big Bird's feathers and he gave it. Then he asked what made for a bigger bird. Big Bird said that they had to have a beak and Willy pointed out that a nose is like a beak. Then he said that they had to have feathers and Willy pointed out that he had a feather. Then Big Bird told him that they had to make bird sounds and Willy reminded him that Big Bird was a bird and Willy was making the same sounds as him. And that was all it took,” Mac said. “We set up his nest to be better protected against the elements and we all checked on him constantly.”

“That was a wonderful story,” Harriet told him.

“So, we want our son involved too,” Mac finished. She pulled him into a hug which he returned. He'd seen her with David and knew that she understood completely. “Wedding is going to start soon.”

“Let's get you out there then,” she said.

***

Harold stood completely still and didn't hide his smile that Willy had finally stopped fidgeting now that he was facing Mac. Mac looked completely calm and as Harold met Harriet's eyes, he knew that the slightly younger man had been that way the entire time. He knew from Harriet's attempt to hide her amusement that his own slight irritation toward Willy had gotten through. Still, this was the way it was supposed to be.

“Do you, Mac, take Willy to be your husband? In good times and bad, to love and care for each other always?” The traditional Sesame Street vows flowed through the air like one of Bob's better songs, reminding them all that love was the most important thing on Sesame Street regardless of the type of love it was.

“I do,” Mac said.

“And do you, Willy, take Mac to be your husband? In good times and bad, to love and care for each other always?”

“I do,” Willy agreed.

“Then with the power invested in me, I now pronounce you wedded together. You may kiss your husband.” He watched as his two oldest friends followed that direction and was pleased that the two were so happy on that day. They'd head out of their honeymoon soon after, something that Big Bird had completely forgotten about and wasn't too pleased over. Both of the older men assured him that they'd send him letters, child friendly ones, and a souvenir.

“Bet you never thought this day would come.” Harold looked over to see David Handford standing next to him and looking like the cat ate the canary. “What about you and Harriet?”

“Don't start,” Harold scolded and looked thoughtful. “You know, our David has been busy with the new baby and he's finally graduating. Gina's a good worker and has been helping, but I need more help. Think you might be interested?”

“I think I could be,” the other man agreed. “It might be nice to stay on the street for a bit.”

Harold grinned at him and then looked back toward his friends. It really was about time, they were moving toward the future, and he'd be able to spend time with an old friend. He met Willy and Mac's eyes and knew they felt the same way: Complete.


End file.
